Assumption of accommodation costs for a mother and her child by the canton of origin

Facts

The canton of St. Gallen is the canton of origin for A. and her daughter. In April 2013, A. moved with her daughter to Zurich, where they were supported by the city of Zurich with social assistance. From May 2014 onwards, A. and her daughter were accommodated in a mother-child group home, for which the city of Zurich demanded reimbursement from the canton of St. Gallen. The canton of St. Gallen filed an objection against this. The Administrative Court of the canton of Zurich obliged the canton of St. Gallen to assume the claimed daily flat rates as well as the monthly basic needs for A. and her daughter. The canton of St. Gallen then filed a complaint with the Federal Supreme Court.

Considerations

The Federal Supreme Court states that the minimum subsistence rates are state contributions with the character of subsidies pursuant to Art. 3 para. 2 lit. a of the Federal Act on Responsibility for the Support of Persons in Need (SocRA). These are therefore not to be qualified as…